Conventionally, wallets for men and women are equipped with at least one card slot configured to hold personal cards such as credit cards, identification cards, bank cards, insurance cards, business cards, and other cards. It is common for wallets to have between 4 and 10 of such card slots, so as to provide independent slots for up to 10 cards. Individuals needing to carry more cards than the wallet has slots are forced to carry two or more cards in each of the card slots, adding bulk and disorganization to the wallet. This method often leaves only the tip of one of the cards within the card slot partially visible, obscuring the second (and potentially third) card behind the visible card within the card slot.
Unfortunately, when rapid removal of a specific card is required, such as at a point-of-sale terminal, many users experience difficulty locating and easily removing the needed card. Commonly, users must pull out several cards in order to determine if the card pulled is the desired card needed at the time. This is especially true for individuals carrying multiple cards in each card slot of the wallet, as they must partially remove the cards from the card slot in order to determine which card is behind the visible card. Location and identification of the correct card can quickly become cumbersome, such as in cases where the card slots of the wallet are very tight, there are multiple cards in each card slot, the individual is elderly, or if the individual has large fingers.
Additionally, it can be difficult to locate and identify the target card in an individual's wallet in a dark room setting or at night while outdoors. This can be especially troublesome in a dark nightclub, bar, theatre vendor, or other dark location. If there were a way to rapidly locate, identify, and employ wallet cards in the dark without a struggle, users would have an easier time paying for items in the dark.
Thus, there is a need for a new wallet organization apparatus configured to facilitate and expedite the location, identification, and removal of the desired card from the card slot of a wallet, minimizing frustration of the individual, and making the check-out process a less cumbersome experience. Such an apparatus is preferably equipped with glow-in-the-dark elements that facilitate the location, identification, and use of a wallet card while in the dark.
Few instances in the prior art attempt to address this issue without attempting to reinvent the wallet itself. While there are many advanced wallets on the market, including those with card slots equipped with switches or lever to eject the desired card, no other wallet aid employs the user's existing wallet, without modification, to achieve the desired result.
Relevant instances found in the prior art include patent no. US 20130093177 A1, “Credit Card Self-Adhesive Pull Tab and Method of Using the Same” which discloses a uniquely identifiable self-adhesive pull tab that can be attached to the card. The uniquely identifiable self-adhesive pull tab includes, but is not limited to, a plastic tab comprising a plurality of sections, and a fold line. In a preferred embodiment, the plastic tab contains approximately four equally sized sections, two on either side of the fold line. The sections immediately adjacent to the fold line do not contain any adhesive coating. However, each of the remaining sections contains an adhesive coating on one side, respectively, which will meet when the self-adhesive pull tab is folded upon use. The self-adhesive pull tabs of the present invention can be made of different colors, have numbers or letters on outside of the non-adhesively coated sections when folded, or contain other uniquely identifiable characters. Unlike, in the current invention the tab is a single film and can also be used for wallet photos in wallet or in notepads, organizers, daily planners, photo albums and briefcase.
Another instance in the prior art that is similar to, yet varies from the present invention includes U.S. Patent No. US 20130170938 A1, for an “Apparatus and method for assisting the retrieval of identification or credit cards from a wallet,” which discloses an apparatus and method of efficiently locating and extracting a card such as an identification, membership, or banking card from a wallet, purse, or other card carrying device. The apparatus features a coupling implement and a gripping terminus. The various gripping termini depict a visually distinct ornamental shape including a heart, a strawberry, a bag of money, a flower, trademarks and/or logos. The gripping terminus is oriented such that it is visible above the edge of the card so that when the card is inserted into a pocket or sleeve the gripping terminus will remain visible. An individual may easily extract cards by gently pulling the gripping terminus in the desired direction. Unlike, the current invention provides a tab which can be removed, repositioned and bent for organizing, removal and use of the items in wallets, daily planner, photo albums etc.
Another relevant prior art is Patent No. US 20110072701 A1, for a “Tab assembly for a card.” The application discloses a tab assembly including two opposable tabs hingedly attached to an indicia member. The opposable tabs can be coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on adjacent surfaces. When the opposable tabs are coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, the tab assembly can be located directly at a desired location and pressure can be applied to the surfaces of the tabs to adhere the tab assembly at the desired location. For example, the tab assembly can be located at the surface of the card and pressure applied to the surfaces of the tabs to adhere the tab assembly to the surface of the card. In yet other embodiments the card can be a credit card, a photograph, a driver's license, a debit card, a business card, etc. An indicia member such as a color, a sign, a symbol, a trademark, a number, a letter, a design, other distinguishing marks, extends from the surface of the object to which it is adhered to allow for visibility and ease of access of the particular item for grasping. This is unlike the present invention, as conversely, the tab is a single thin plastic film having adhesive on the rear for attaching to cards and other items for easy gripping and removal of these cards/items from wallet. Additionally, the present invention is formed in unique shapes to facilitate location and access of a user's cards.